Musical instrument



1. KALAF, JR-

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATJON FILED APR. '5. I921.

Patented May 23, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET Patented May 23, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. I

UNITED STATES JOHN KALAF, 8B,, OF META, MISSOURI.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented D'Iay 23 1922 Applicationfiled April 15, 1921. Serial No, 461,488.

To all whom it may (707106?72- Be it known that 1, JOHN KALAF, Jr, acitizen of the United States, residing at Meta,in the 'county of Osageand State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful MusicalInstrument, of which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide a musical instrument of the violin type,which, being simply made, may be turned out at comparatively smallexpense, thereby doing away with the high grade cabinet work required inthe making of an ordinary'violin body.

Another object of the invention is to provide an instrument of the sortmentioned, which will give forth a strong and strident tone, theinstrument being of peculiar utility in the production of dance musicand under other conditions where loudness and volume of tone are primerequisites.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and toenhance the utility of devices of that type to which the inventionappertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope ofwhat is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the inventionshown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows in plan, an instrument constructed inaccordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of theinstrument; Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 -3 of Figure 2.

The instrument comprises a body 1 which, if desired, may be made solid,out of a single board or piece of material, thereby avoiding the expenseincident to shaping and assembling a box-like body of ordinaryconstruction. A. neck 2 is assembled with the body 1, the numeral 3marking a tail piece of common form. The head 4 may be shaped like amandolin head, if desired, and may be provided with a well known form ofworm and pinion means 5 for tensioning the strings 6 and 7 which extendbetween said means 5 and the tail piece 3. r

The strings may be made in various ways. Assuming that the common violintuning in fifths is resorted to, the G string, denoted.

by the numeral 7, may be a wound string, the other strings 6 beingdouble, like the strings of a mandolin, and being of metal, should theoperator so desire. The double metal strings 6, clearly increase thevolume of sound andthe loudness of the tone. The strings 6 of each pairare tuned in unison.

superposed upon and secured to the body 1 is a casing comprising atubular member 8 having a bottom 80, the tubular member being surmountedby a cap 9 of annular form, the cap being held in place by securingelements 10. The cap 9 serves to hold a resonant diaphragm 11 on thetubular member 8 of the casing, a washer 12 being interposed between thecap and the diaphragm. in order to prevent the edge of the diaphragmfrom being crushed. should it be found desirable to construct thediaphragm from celluloid or like material, which is somewhat fragile.

The numeral 14. designates a main bridge, across which the strings 6 and7 pass, the main bridge serving to take up muchot the strain produced bythe tension in the strings. The main bridge 14 has a relatively long leg15 which rests on the body 1, and a shorter leg 16 which rests on thecap portion 9 of the casing. Since the leg 16 rests on the casing. someof the vibration is carried into the casing and thence into thediaphragm 11. y

A fulcrum strip 17. having a sharpened upper edge, is superposed uponthe cap 9 of the casing. The numeral 18 denotes an oscillatory auxiliarybridge, which, if de sired, may be merely the common violin bridge nowin use. The auxiliary bridge 18 is supported upon a foot 19 having adepending end 20 resting on the diaphragm 11. The strings 6 and 7 passacross the auxiliary bridge 18. The foot 19, together with the auxiliarybridge 18 may be shifted transversely of thetulcrum strip 17 whereon thefoot is pivotally mounted. the object being to regulate the pressure ofthe end 20 ot the foot 19 on the diaphragm 11. Since the auxiliarybridge 18 is pivotally mounted bv means of the foot 19 on the fulcrumstrip 17, the bridge will vibrate freely, responsive to the strings 6and 7, and the vibrations will be transmitted to the diaphragm 11.

The numeral 21. denotes a horn, comprising a funnel-shaped socket 22having an angrular end 23 passing through an opening 24. in the body 1,fitting closely in the bottom 80 of the casing.

A bell 25 is provided, and has an angular end 26 fitting ti htly butadjustably in the socket 22. Or dinarily the bell 25 extends upwardlyand projects forwardly, at one side of the instrument, as shown inFigures 1 and 2, that, since the end 26 of the bell is receivedadjustably in the socket 22. the bell may be disposed at any desiredangle. The vibrations oi" the diaphragm 1.1 are transmitted to the aircolumn in the horn 21, the result being a strong and loud tone,emanatingfrom an instrument of simple construction.

What is claimed is:-

1. An instrument of the string type comprising a body; a sound amplifieron the body, said amplifier comprising" a diaphragm and a casing; a mainbridge having its ends resting, respectively, on the body, and on thecasing of the amplifier independently of the diaphragm; an oscillatorybridge engaging the diaphragm; and a string extended across the bridges.

2. An instrument of the string type comprising a body; a casing on thebody and comprising a diaphragm and a casing; an

oscillatory auxiliary ln-idge engaging the diaphragm; a main bridge;means :tor supporting; the main bridge independently ot the diaphragm;and, strings extended across prising a body; a casing on the body andincluding a diaphragm: main bridge resting: at one end on the body andresting at its other end on the casing independently of the diaphragm;an auxiliary bridge mounted to oscillate on the casing independently ofthe diaphragnr and bearing, at one end on the diaphragm; a horn carriedby the body and communicating: with the cusinn; and a string engagedwith both bridges, in testimony that I claim the forepxiing as my own, Ihave hereto a'l'lixed my signa ture in the presence oi two witnesses.

JOHN KALAIIFA JR.

lVitnesses i GEORGE KALAF, N. J. KALAF.

